Tariq Lawal
Tariq Lawal is a Nigerian youth advocate, writer, poet and visual artist from Lagos Island in Lagos State. His work focuses on education access, climate change, wildlife conservation, social justice and digital safety. He has taken part in youth programmes linked to UNICEF Nigeria and Global Citizen.
Early life and education
Lawal grew up on Lagos Island. He went to Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba, where a Model United Nations session first got him thinking seriously AbOUT climate issues. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he switched to homeschooling. That shift gave him more room to explore the social sciences, humanities and creative arts.
Education and literacy
He started the Lagos Island Literacy Project to push reading, digital skills, civic awareness and a sense of global citizenship among children and young people in Lagos Island and nearby areas. In an April 2025 piece for UNICEF Nigeria, he explained that the project grew out of worry about educational gaps and the shortage of relevant learning opportunities for local kids.
Climate awareness
In November 2023, UNICEF Nigeria published Lawal’s own account of talking to people on the streets of Lagos Island about climate change. He stressed the need for basic environmental education so residents could better understand what was happening around them.
He also turns to creative work to get the message across. A 2024 Global Citizen profile noted how he uses writing and graphic design to tackle climate change alongside gender inequality, corruption and other social problems. One of the pieces shown focused on how climate change is already affecting Lagos Island.
Wildlife conservation
In 2024 Lawal won the first United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) #BeWildForNature Wildlife Sensitization and Awareness Campaign and Competition. His idea was an app that would gather wildlife information in one place. UNODC said he was one of nine finalists honoured at a ceremony held at the United Nations House in Abuja, an event that also opened space for wider talk about wildlife conservation in Nigeria.
Social justice and creative work
Poetry, writing and graphic design are the tools Lawal reaches for when he wants to speak on social issues. The same 2024 Global Citizen profile looked at his work on gender inequality, racism, poverty, sexism and related topics, describing his art as a way to open conversations and get people more involved.
That year he was selected for Global Citizen’s Emerging Creatives programme, which highlights artists from the Global South whose work deals with social questions and civic life.
Youth participation and digital safety
Lawal has also worked on digital safety and the wellbeing of young people online. In an interview with *New Telegraph* he talked about serving on a youth council linked to TikTok and why it matters to bring young voices into conversations about making the internet safer.
Across these efforts runs a consistent interest in using creative communication and genuine youth participation to address problems that affect children and young people, both online and in their own communities.
Recognition
In 2024 Lawal was recognised through the Diana Award’s annual programme for young people doing social action work.
The American Anthropological Association lists him as a recipient of its Junior Anthropologist Award. Their profile notes his interest in cultural diversity and how he uses anthropology to look at inequality, climate change and social justice.